Death toll in Russia terror attacks rises to 19

Gunmen with automatic weapons stormed an Orthodox church and a synagogue in the ancient city of Derbent on the evening of June 23, setting them on fire and killing 66-year-old priest Nikolai Kotelnikov.

In the city of Makhachkala, about 125 kilometers (78 miles) north, attackers opened fire on a traffic police station and attacked a church.

Gunfights broke out around the church in Makhachkala and heavy automatic gunfire rang out late into the night. Video footage showed people running across the city for cover as plumes of smoke rose above Makhachkala.

Russia's Investigative Committee said 15 police officers and four civilians were killed. At least five terrorists were killed, some of whom local media reported were shot dead on the sidewalk.

Members of the security forces stand guard after multiple attacks in Makhachkala and Derbent, at a location in the Dagestan region, Russia, June 24. Photo: Reuters

"This is a tragic day for Dagestan and the whole country," said the head of the Dagestan region, Sergei Melikov. Dagestan declared three days of mourning, flying flags at half-mast and cancelling all entertainment events. Portraits of the dead police officers were placed on the streets in front of red carnations in Dagestan.

The Republic of Dagestan is a predominantly Muslim federal entity in the North Caucasus of the Russian Federation, with a mix of ethnic, linguistic, and regional groups living at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.

The attack on both Christian and Jewish churches has raised concerns that Russia may face a new Islamist threat, just three months after an attack on a theatre near Moscow claimed by the Islamic State group that killed 145 people.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/so-nguoi-chet-trong-vu-khung-bo-hang-loat-o-nga-tang-len-19-post300568.html